


A Love Story

by Zophea_Lupa



Series: A Love Story [1]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-29
Updated: 2018-03-21
Packaged: 2018-12-08 14:49:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 2,783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11648835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zophea_Lupa/pseuds/Zophea_Lupa
Summary: This is only my second work, but it is by far the longest. I've only written the first 5 chapters, and the other 5 are coming. Please be patient.





	1. Dreams

**Author's Note:**

> This is only my second work, but it is by far the longest. I've only written the first 5 chapters, and the other 5 are coming. Please be patient.

The lyrium withdrawal hasn't been this bad in a while. Usually, when he has a lot of work to do, it keeps the pain away. After a long day, he can fall right do sleep with no remembrance of the nightmares. But today....   
He had that nagging pain at the base of his skull all day. Slowly creeping down his spine until his back felt like it was being torn open. It got to the point he had to excuse himself from training. He hates that, he feels weak.   
Up in his bed chambers, his anger rose to the boiling point and he punches the book shelf. The pain in his neck over powered that in his hand. "Maybe, if I lay down, I can relax my back." he thought to himself.   
He must've dosed off, because the next thing he knew he was running. Running from what, he did not know. He did know, however, that he was running for his life. As soon as he had the nerve to look behind him, he saw them. The demons. The same demons that he had been running from since that day at the Redcliff Circle.   
His legs felt of jelly, as soon as he felt as though he couldn't run any more, a light appeared. A light so bright, it blinded him. A light so pure, it made the demons turn and scatter. But what was the light? His eyes stained to see. In the light, he felt something wash over him. Comfort. Safety. Love.   
As his eyes began to adjust to the light, he saw the slender figure of a woman. Andraste? Had she come to finally take him away from the pain?   
"Cullen". He heard it call him by name. Had Andraste been that tiny? Those ears. Pointy. This was an elf. It couldn't be her. Then who? Who could speak his name with so much love? "Cullen".   
With every ounce of energy, he called out to the light. "Wh... Who are you?"  
It did not answer, but simply walked up to him. There were no features, but he felt as though he knew this specter.   
As she places her hand gently on his cheek, he awakens.


	2. Confrontation

They were all gathered in the war room. All except the mage. The one with the mark. Did she really have to be here? Before he even finished the question, he knew the answer.   
He didn't exactly hate the mage, but he kept his guard up. He knew she was Dalish. He also knew they didn't believe in Circles or protecting themselves from demons. He absentmindedly rested his hand on the hilt of his sword when she walked through the door. "Must be instinct." he thought.   
After the meeting, Cullen decided to call it a day. The pain was almost unbearable. But the next thing he heard took his breath away.   
"Cullen?" He's heard that voice somewhere before. He turned and the mage was walking towards him. Something about this was familiar. As he turned, his hand went right to his sword. She spoke first, almost angrily. "See that? That's what I wanted to speak to you about. Do you realize that your hand goes to your sword every time you see me?" "Oh, uh. I'm sorry about that, Herald. I don't know why I.... " before he could finish, the elf held up her hand. "Have I done something to make you fear me? Or hate me? Is it the Dalish elf thing" she asked, almost faltering her words. She was hurt, Cullen could see that in her face.   
"No, Herald. Is not that." he said slowly. She asked, "Is it because I'm a mage?" She deserves the truth, he thought. "It's nothing personal. There are just things in my past that I'm working through. I'm sorry if I offended you."   
"Well, I can't say that I'm happy to hear that. But if you'll just get to know me, I promise I won't hurt you." she almost pleaded. "Sure" he said, not so surely.


	3. Revelations

It's been a few weeks since that awkward confrontation in the hall. So much has happened. They were in a new castle. And his relationship with Lavellan had drastically grown. He had to admit, he was growing rather fond of the elf. He was laughing with her more, and he could let his guard down around her. And that scared him to death. He saw no connections, but he noticed that his nightmares have been chased away by that beautiful light more and more. He wants to know who the woman is. He feels so drawn to her. He may even love her. Can you love a stranger? Was it a stranger? That night at dinner, he sat at the table with everyone. And with all those people around him, he found that he could not tear his gaze away from that woman's face. Had she always been that beautiful? That smile. That laugh. He could listen to that music all day. But all day was cut short as she rose from the table with a yawn. "I'll see you all in the morning." Lavellan said slowly. Clearing his throat, Cullen rose from the table as well. "I think I'll call it a night as well." As he is heading towards his room. He heard her. "Hey Cullen. Hang on." He turned and she threw her arms around his neck. Taken aback by the sudden urge that was alien to him, he held his breath. Once he realized this was just a hug, he slowly wrapped his arms around her waist. "Oh, maker. She smells Divine" he thought. Not wanting to let her go, but not wanting it to be weird, he released her. "What was that for? " he asked her with a chuckle. "Nothing. Just saying good night." With that, she gave him a swift kiss on the cheek and ran off towards her room. All he could do was stand there. He must've started walking because thing he knew, he was in his chambers. As he laid there, he prayed for no nightmares. He drifted off into an uneasy sleep. He was running for his life. Again. He shouldn't be shocked. Then it was there. The light. The woman. She walked towards him and stood there. "Who are you?" he asked the light. She just stood there. With her hand in his cheek, her face became clear. It was her. Malikai! He woke with a start. He had to work to catch his breath. To make it real to himself, he said it out loud. "I'm in love with the Inquisitor!"


	4. Confessions

How could he love the Inquisitor? How could he let himself fall for someone so unattainable? He paced around his room for what seemed like hours. Then, out of nowhere, there was a small knock on his door. "come in" he called, if it was a runner with a report.   
"hello Cullen." It was her!   
"oh, Inquisitor! How are you? " he asked her, going he didn't give his secrets away. "I'm OK. I was hoping you would join me for a walk." "What was this about" he thought. "of course,"  
As they silently walked the walls, he knew this was his one chance to tell her. The reached a look out and Malikai leaned over the wall. Then she spoke.   
"I need to tell you something. Cullen, I care for you. In ways, I'm not sure I understand. But I'm afraid. I am after all a mage. I worry that you won't be able to care for me as I do for you." Here it goes. "I do care for you. A lot. You being a mage doesn't change that." He walked over to her and put his hand on her hips. Leaned down and then "Commander. I have the reports you asked for. " oh, this was horse shit! "What?!!? " Cullen growled. The runner looked up and practically saw the flames from Cullen's eyes. "Right. To your.... uh... Study then" The runner couldn't run fast enough.   
It was the Inquisitor who spoke first. "if you...." but that's all that could leave her lips. Cullen's lips were on hers. The fire that he felt poured into that kiss. As he pulled away, he whispered "that was.... Nice" "that was perfect" the elf said. And she pulled him into a kiss that stole his heart"


	5. Lyrium

She had been coming to his study every day for to steal his time. And a kiss. Normally he looked forward to her arrival, but today was different. The pain was hindering his ability to walk. As custom, the small knock came and she entered. "How is my commander today?" she asked. Trying to lie, he told her "Fine." She must've saw through to the pain, because her face went from happy to concern in a second. "are you Alright?" "yes, I stopped taking lyrium. It's just pain from withdrawal." "is there anything I can do to help?" she asked. Cullen tried to answer but all he could do was groan. "can you come back later? I'm not feeling well." He hated sending her away, but he hates the thought of her seeing him like this more. "sure, but I'm here if you need me. " she said as she closed the door. Later that day, the Inquisitor went back to check on Cullen. As she opened the door, she was greeted by a soldier. "If you're looking for the Commander, he went to speak with Lady Cassandra." Down in the Grove, Malikai noticed Cass wasn't standing in her normal spot. But she heard yelling coming from the arms room.  
“You asked my opinion, and I have given it!” Cass yelled at Cullen, who looked like he was in physical pain. “If I cannot give my all to the Inquisition, you must replace me! Ugh” he says, then doubles over from some invisible pain. The elf walks up and asks, “What’s going on?” With pure pain in his eyes, Cullen walks past the Inquisitor. As he reaches her, he whispers, “Forgive me.”  
Once he is out of ear shot, Cassandra speaks. “He’s told you he’s stopped taking Lyrium?” “Yes, and I think it’s brave.” “As do I,” Cass agrees. “But he doesn’t believe me. He’s asked me to watch him. And if the time comes where he cannot fulfill his duties, I am to replace him as commander. But there is no need. He is doing fine. There is no need to replace him. He has come so far, it would destroy him” “Is there any way we can change his mind?” The elf asks. With a heavy sigh, Cass says “If anyone can, it’s you.”  
As she opens the door to Cullen’s study, she barely ducks in time. A box with Lyrium supplies smashes into the wall directly behind her. “Maker! I didn’t see you! I’m sorry.” Cullen cries out in pain, barely holding himself up in his desk. “As long as you weren’t aiming for me. I’m sure the box had it coming.”  
Even in excruciating pain, he manages a smile. Only she could make him laugh when he hurt so much.   
“Cullen, can you walk?” Malikai asks. He nods. They walk a bit into the castle. How big IS this place?” he thinks. Then they come to a door that he’s never seen before. Malikai opens the door and inside in a giant tub with bottles of potions around it.   
“You ran me…a bath? Cullen asks, surprised. Nodding her head, she says “Not just a bath, I wrote to my Keeper asking how to ease the pain of Lyrium withdrawal. She sent me these potion recipes and you pour them into the water and it’s supposed to ease the pain. I couldn’t just sit her and watch you suffer.”   
“Malikai, that’s so…thoughtful. Thank you!” Cullen says. “I wonder if she’ll want to join me” he asks himself. Almost as though she could read his thoughts, she says “Well, jump in. I’ll leave you to relax. But if you need me, I’ll be in the next room.”   
The bath is exquisite. Not too hot, not too cold. And the potions did exactly what they were supposed to do. As he toweled himself off, he noticed the knot in the base of his head was gone, and he didn’t hurt any more. He must ask her for more.   
True to her word, Malikai was in the next room. She looked up from her book and smiled as he walked in. “Nice bath?”  
“It was perfect. Thank you. You wouldn’t happen to have any more of those potions?” He asked the elf. “Well, of course I do. Enough for an entire season. I want you as relaxed as possible.” He walked over to her and hugged her. “Thank you, Inquisitor. I’ve never had anybody care as you do.” She says something into his shoulder, but is too muffled for him to hear. “What was that?” he asks. Sighing, she says it again. “I do more than care, Cullen.” Taken aback, he asks her “What does that means?”   
As she looks into his eyes, he feels the same feeling as he gets in his dreams. Before she says it, he knows what she is going to say. “It means I love you, Cullen”. He closes his eyes to soak in the feeling washing over him. With a smile on his face, he tells the elf something he’s been dying to say for weeks.   
“Would you accompany me to my quarters?”


	6. A Painful History

He could watch her sleep for hours. The sun hard barely crept up past the high mountains. Had he even slept that night? He remembers the bath, her confession. It was such a relief to hear. Although he didn't say it back. He didn't have time before she lead him to her chambers. Her skin was so soft. Her hair smelled so good. Had he ever been this happy? No. Never.   
She stirred in her sleep and Cullen froze, afraid to wake her. He wanted more time to just look at her. Before he could stop himself, he gently brushed her perfect, blushed cheek with his fingers. That did it. Her eyes fluttered open. Oh, Maker, that smile. "Good morning, Commander." she said sleepily. "Good morning", he said with a smile. "Have you been watching me all night long?" she asked. "Not all night." he said with a chuckle. "Maybe most of it." This made Malikai laugh. "Well, at least you're honest." Blushing, he just looked down. "And if I'm being honest, I'm glad you gave me a chance." "As am I. I've never told you what happened, have I? What started my...distaste for mages." "No, but if you don't want to..." she starts, but Cullen holds up his hand. "No. You deserve to know. I was stationed at Ferelden's Circle tower when everything went bad. Abominations were turning up around every corner. Many good soldiers were lost in the madness. I was held. I was...." he got stuck at the word. Malikai put her hand on his to show that it's ok. With a sigh, he said it. "I was tortured. I seen all of my friends being tortured to death. I thought I was going to be next. That's when the Warden came and saved me. I was....never the same after that. I was angry. I couldn't trust another mage. I didn't like the man that made me." He then got up to walk to the window and gaze out towards the sun. After a few moments, he felt her slip an arms around his and turn him around to look at her. She planted a kiss as gently as a feather on his lips and said, "I love you. You are an amazing man who have gone through terrible tragedies in your life. That doesn't make you a monster." "It almost did," he answered. "But it didn't," Malikai said firmly. Using her hand, she gently turned his chin so he was looking at her, but avoided her eyes. "Look at me, Love. You are an amazing man. The best Commander this army could ask for. You are a bright, hardworking, and determined man. I seen you fight so hard with this lyrium mess. You are no monster. You are the man that I love." At her words, his melancholy lifted. He realized that he never said those words to her. This would be the perfect time. "Oh, Malikai. I don't deserve you. You are funny, witty, gorgeous, and genial. Your heart for others is bigger than the sky. All of this, and you still chose me. I love you."


End file.
